School Board/places

April 11, 1990

MATHEWS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD

The Mathews county School Board recognized several outstanding teams of Mathews High School students at its March 27 meeting.

* The Forensics Team is the regional champion. Several members placed at state competition March 24: Anna Hyer, first, spelling; Kurt Nitzsche, fourth, original oratory; Merredith Lemasters, third, original oratory; and Jasper White, second, poetry. The team is coached by Virginia McDaniel.

The board also saw a demonstration of some of the techniques used in the Herman Reading Method, which is used in special eduation classes to teach children to read, write and spell. Teachers Sabrina Arrington and Alice Wilkerson said they and their students are enthusiastic about the multi-sensory approach. For instance, mirrors are used to help pupils learn to pronounce sounds correctly. A beeping, computerized metronome helps them establish pacing when sounding out words. The teachers were introduced by Richard E. Ahlfield, special education coordinator.

Among other matters, the board:

* Approved the 1990-91 school calendar. Students' first day would be Sept. 4; their last day would be June 7, 1991.

* Approved ordering three 1990 Navistar International diesel school buses at $29,112 each.

* Approved asking the county Board of Supervisors to appropriate about $29,112 to buy another bus during this school year. The money would be from state revenue, which is expected to be more than anticipated this year.

The schools must buy new buses to meet a state Department of Education requirement that all buses made before 1977 be removed from the fleet. Two school buses are included in the final draft of the budget proposal for the coming year.

PLACES

* York Academy, Shacklefords, will hold its first annual barbecued beef ribs festival from 4 to 11 p.m. April 28 at the school.

Tickets are $17.50 by advance sale only. Country music will begin at 4 p.m. and Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters will play for a dance from 8 to 11 p.m.

* Thomas Nelson Community College's 1989-90 course catalog and student handbook received the Paragon award as the nation's best small college catalog earlier this month in New Orleans.

The National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, a subgroup of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, makes the award annually.

In Division A, a small group shop with one or two professionals, TNCC placed ahead of Montcalm Community College in Michigan, second place; and Western Nevada Community College, third place.